Cigar reviews: balancing between brand image and consumer trust
I had never considered the extent of pressure that mainstream media experiences from those wanting to promote their cigars. Every now and then there's a discussion around cigar reviews and how influenced they are by manufacturers. Regardless of who brings up the debate, what typically emerges is how delicate is the balance between brand image and consumer trust.
There seems to be a disconnect when it comes to accepting the subjective nature of reviews. Positive reviews tend to be celebrated as objective, while negative ones are often dismissed as biased or inaccurate.
While negative reviews can understandably feel like a personal attack on a brand, this creates confusion for consumers seeking honest opinions.
If we acknowledge that not every blend suits every palate and that reviews are inherently subjective, shouldn't we also recognize that reviewers have a job to do - to critique - which naturally involves personal preference, cultural context, and other influences? If we accept this, we also understand that critiques cannot be objective and that reviewers have their own audience to build trust from.
If a manufacturer wants informative write-ups with accurate descriptors to guide consumer choices, that's a lot to expect from critiques. This has nothing to do with the expertise, nor the olfactory acuity of a reviewer. It's simply about acknowledging that critiques, by their nature, aren't designed to provide purely objective product descriptions. It's the wrong tool for the job, just like using a hammer to drive in a screw.
While the adoption of science beyond tobacco processing is still limited in our industry, it holds immense potential. Sensory analysis, in particular, can address this disconnect, foster transparency, and build trust, among other benefits.
Senior Operations Specialist with over 20 years experience across Australia & New Zealand
2 个月As an amateur cigar reviewer I find that if I criticise a cigar that someone watching has a special affinity for they will absolutely smash me in the comments section telling me how wrong I am. But I love to remind them we all taste things differently and have different experiences attached to each cigar we smoke, the environment we smoke in can have a massive impact on the level of enjoyment we have with a particular stick too.
I think your platform from day one is the best when we first talked. A lot of others one are bias towards the owner no matter how bad the cigar is they still produce a good review. Just my thoughts
Hi Franca I enjoyed your post and I think it highlights very good insights that any cigar smoker should be aware of. We have all come to rely, or at lease be interested in the reviews of others when it comes to buying decisions. I think Cigar Sense has the most comprehensive evaluation system for cigar tasting. There are very basic things a buyer has to consider strength, draw, burn, construction. I would think these are less objective than taste. However taste is important and usually only lightly touched upon with online buying catalogs. It would be interesting to see more science here, but it seems this is ultimately subjective to the person tasting. I don't believe negative reviews should always be treated as biased. I had recent experience working with a manufacturer and gave them a negative review on an uneven burn with one of their products. They made a course correction, sent me a new batch and indeed the correction was applied. The now have a better product. Franca please keep on writing, I enjoy your articles!
Senior Sales Manager @ Yango
3 个月This is an interesting read and I absolutely agree with you Franca Comparetto. I have been smoking cigars since 2009 and reviewing them since 2015. A review not only takes flavors into account, but also other elements such as construction, draw, burn, pricing, etc. which can be objective. Now coming to the part related to the olfactory senses, it is almost impossible to stay objective while reviewing a cigar. It doesn't matter how hard I try, sometimes there are sticks that I rate lower contrary to the popular belief, or vice versa. So yes, science seems to be a better solution here. I love what you are doing and I wish you success only.